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Teacher speaks out about 90 positions cut in York

The York City School District released 90 teachers at the end of the school year.

One of those teachers had been on the job for 11 years.

He spoke about how cuts to education are impacting the lives of children.

"You ever been out of work before? No, never. I guess as they describe it now, I'm a dislocated employee," said Ira Schneider, who was laid off from the York School District.

Schneider walked out of York's Ferguson Elementary School for the last time on Monday.

After 11 years on the job, the fourth-grade teacher packed up a desk full of memories and went home.

Schneider is one of nearly 90 York teachers who are being laid off as the result of state funding cutbacks.

"I could not have predicted this when I started my career," Schneider said.

He said he wonders if he will have to give up teaching to support his wife and two young children.

"I think the prospect of finding a teaching job in Pennsylvania, in this current environment, are extremely challenging to say the least," Schneider said.

As a fourth-grade teacher at Ferguson, Schneider said normally spoke to about 25 or 30 kids in the classroom, but on Wednesday morning he will be addressing a much larger audience on the subject of school budget cuts in Pennsylvania

He has been granted 2 1/2 minutes to speak during a rally at the state Capitol. Hundreds of school teachers are expected to attend the rally.

"The point I want to make in 2 1/2 minutes is it is important to restore education funding to our children. That is the No. 1 point," Schneider said.

He said he hopes funding might be found to bring back his job. It happened to some York teachers last year.

York teachers were told they will receive their last paycheck in mid-August. Their benefits will run out on Aug. 31.

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